This invention relates to a method and structure for the prevention of cross contamination during use of dental cameras.
For years, dentists have used dental mirrors for insertion in a dental patient's mouth for reflecting images of areas within the patients' mouth for viewing by the dentist. This technique works, although it has several disadvantages. First, it is often difficult to hold the dental mirror in an appropriate position in order to reflect the desired image. Secondly, it is more difficult to ensure that proper lighting is available to the area within the mouth to be reflected by the dental mirror. An even greater disadvantage is that it is very difficult to use such prior art dental mirrors in a situation where a dentist wishes to discuss certain regions within the mouth with other people, be it the patient, colleagues, dental assistants, or students in a teaching institution.
More recently, an electronic video dental camera has been taught, for example in U.S. patent application for an invention entitled "Electronic Video Dental Camera" (Ser. No. 22,171). When using dental tools, including such a dental camera, it is necessary to present to the patient at least a completely clean surface and, under certain conditions, a sterile surface. This is even more serious than might be generally realized, since often even minor dental procedures result in some degree of bleeding and therefore there is a danger of transmission of Hepatitis B and AIDS, for example, if such a dental camera is not sterilized between dental procedures among patients. In the instance of a dental camera, such cleaning or sterilization must be of not only of the camera head, but the handle and a suitable length of cable, as well.
One prior art technique for sterilizing or cleaning medical instruments is the submersion of the instrument in a liquid bath containing a suitable sterilizing or disinfecting agent, such as Sporicidin.
Oftentimes, liquid sterilization takes an inordinant amount of time, thereby not allowing a particular piece of medical equipment to be readily reused on another patient. A common solution to this problem is the acquisition of numerous pieces of the same type of equipment, thereby allowing use of one instrument while others are being sterilized. For example, it is quite common for a typical dentist's office to have numerous dental mirrors, and numerous dental picks of the same type, in order for one set of dental instruments to be in use on a patient, while others are being sterilized.
However, this presents a more significant problem when the device to be sterilized is more complex and expensive. Thus, prior art sterilization procedures for complex and expensive pieces of equipment leave much to be desired.